Carrot Cake Without Nuts

This easy carrot cake is incredibly moist and topped with a silky cream cheese frosting! A classic sheet cake made completely without nuts that is simple to throw together and ready in under an hour.

Carrot cake is one of those desserts I’ve often enjoyed eating far more than baking. I’m not exactly sure why, perhaps it was simply the lack of excess carrots in my fridge that meant I rarely baked it. That all changed when my husband came home beaming one day with a massive bag of carrots. He knows I LOVE carrot juice. It holds a special place in my heart, transporting me back to the long summer days in Syria when my late Teta would press fresh carrot juice for us. So, we got to work juicing them, and while that first sip was a beautiful, nostalgic memory, it also left me staring at a giant bowl of leftover carrot pulp sitting in the fridge. I couldn’t bear to let it go to waste, and a classic, perfectly spiced carrot cake with absolutely no add-ins started calling my name.

Easy Carrot Cake (Nut-free)

While this recipe was born out of a mission to use up leftover pulp, I’ve tested it with regular finely grated carrots as well, and it works flawlessly both ways! I think a homemade carrot cake should be tender, moist, and flavoured simply with grated carrots and cinnamon! You won’t find crushed pineapple, walnuts or raisins here. To finish the cake beautifully, I top it with a thick swirl of cream cheese frosting. Each bite has a balanced mix of sweet carrots, warm cinnamon, and tangy cream cheese frosting. It is a simple, a guaranteed crowd-pleasing carrot sheet cake that bakes up perfectly moist and fluffy every single time.

Carrot Cake Ingredients

This recipe relies on simple, everyday pantry staples. Here is a quick breakdown of the key ingredients to ensure your sheet cake turns out perfectly moist.

For the Carrot Cake

Carrots: For the absolute best texture, you want your carrots finely grated. Skip the standard large holes on your box grater and use the finer side instead so the carrots melt seamlessly into the crumb. If you are like me and using leftover juice pulp, you can swap it in exactly cup-for-cup or gram-for-gram! The cake will be incredibly moist either way, as the carrots release steam into the batter while baking.

Vegetable Oil: Using a neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) instead of butter is the true secret to a sheet cake that stays beautifully soft and tender for days. You can also use avocado oil, if preferred.

The Sugars: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar. The white sugar provides structure, while the brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. If you prefer an even richer flavour, you can easily use all brown sugar instead.

Self-Raising Flour: I use self-raising flour (known as self-rising flour in the US) as a shortcut to avoid needing to measure out both baking soda and baking powder. You can switch to all-purpose (plain) flour if that’s what you have on hand. You will need to add two teaspoons of baking soda to the recipe. A quick note on measuring: I highly recommend weighing your flour! I use Australian standard cups (where 300g is exactly 2 cups), but if you are using US cups, 300g is actually 2.5 cups.

Baking Powder: Because we are using self-raising flour, we can entirely skip the baking soda. However, because this is such a heavy, moisture-dense batter, I like to add just 1 teaspoon of baking powder for a little extra lift.

Ground Cinnamon: A classic, warm spice that doesn’t overpower the cake. Full disclosure: I actually forgot to add the cinnamon during one of my test bakes, and the cake still came out totally yummy! The pure sweetness of the brown sugar and carrots shines on its own, so if you are out of cinnamon, you can safely skip it. Alternately, if you love cinnamon, you can safely add an extra teaspoon to the batter!

The Wet Ingredients: Eggs and vanilla are the last two ingredients to complete the cake batter. Your eggs should ideally be at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly into the oil. I use vanilla bean paste, but regular pure vanilla extract works perfectly, too.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese: I use a standard block of full-fat cream cheese. Ensure it has come to room temperature to avoid a lumpy frosting.

Butter: Butter adds stability to the frosting so it can maintain its beautiful swirls at room temp. I use salted butter to balance the overall sweetness of the frosting. Using unsalted butter is perfectly fine too.

Icing Sugar: Commonly referred to as powdered sugar in the US. This sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting.

Vanilla: I love the little dark flecks of vanilla bean paste in the frosting. You can substitute this with regular pure vanilla extract.

How to make Carrot Sheet Cake

Start by whisking the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla bean paste together in a large bowl. Keep whisking vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth and resembles the consistency of a thick caramel sauce.

Gently fold in the self-raising flour, baking powder, and cinnamon until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter. Finally, dump in your finely grated carrots (or leftover juice pulp) and fold them through until they are evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into your lined 9×13 metal baking tin and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set it aside to cool completely to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare your frosting: beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric beater until smooth. Slowly beat in the icing sugar, increasing the speed gradually until well combined and creamy. Refrigerate the frosting until needed, then finish your cooled sheet cake with the frosting.

Carrot Cake FAQ

Can I use pre-shredded, store-bought carrots in this cake?

I highly recommend against it! Pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store are far too thick, dry, and crunchy. For a cake that is beautifully moist and soft, you need the moisture that comes from freshly, finely grated carrots. Use the finer side of your box grater for best results.

How should I store this carrot cake?

If you have already finished the cake with cream cheese frosting, it must be stored in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in its baking tin) for up to 4-5 days. If the cake is unfrosted, it will keep perfectly on the counter in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, move it to the fridge to preserve its freshness. If you live in a particularly hot or humid climate, I recommend storing the cake in the fridge the same day it’s baked.

Can I freeze this carrot sheet cake?

Absolutely! You can freeze the baked, unfrosted cake by wrapping it tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before frosting. You can also freeze leftover frosted slices in an airtight container for up to a month.

Can I bake this in round cake pans or a glass baking dish?

If you prefer a traditional layered cake rather than a 9×13 sheet cake, you can absolutely divide the batter evenly between two lined 9-inch (23cm) round metal cake pans (checking them around the 25-minute mark). However, whatever shape you choose, I strongly advise against using a glass pan! Glass acts as an insulator, meaning the edges of this moisture-heavy cake will overbake and dry out long before the centre cooks. Always stick to metal baking tins so the heat conducts evenly for a perfectly fluffy crumb.

What are the most common carrot cake mistakes?

The most frequent mistake is overmixing the batter, which can cause excess gluten formation that can make a cake tough or dense. Overmixing can also force air out of a batter which undoes that aeration work you did at the beginning. Instead, I recommend gently folding the dry ingredients and carrots in until just combined. The second major mistake is baking this in a glass 9×13 pan instead of metal! Glass traps heat, meaning the edges of this moisture-dense cake will overbake before the centre is cooked. Always use a metal baking tin for an even, perfect bake, unless a recipe specifies otherwise.

Carrot Sheet Cake (Without Nuts)

This incredibly moist Carrot Sheet Cake is an easy dessert that bakes up with a perfectly tender crumb. It's made simply with grated carrots and cinnamon, then finished with a thick swirl of cream cheese frosting. Better yet, it's nut-free, making it school & allergy friendly. This single-layer cake is quick to throw together and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, British

Servings 12 serves

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 220 grams (1 cup) brown sugar, tightly packed
• 110 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 300 ml (1 ¼ cup) neutral oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300 grams Self-Raising Flour, (see notes for cup conversions)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 440 grams (4 cups) finely grated carrots

For the cream cheese frosting

• 113 g (½ cup) butter, softened
• 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 250 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Prepare the Pan: Preheat an oven to 175°C / 350°F convection or 160°C / 325ºF fan forced. Grease a 9×13 metal baking tin and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Mix the wet ingredients. Place brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil (or neutral oil of choice), eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk well with a large whisk for 2 minutes until the batter resembles a thick caramel sauce. Alternatively, beat on medium speed with electric beaters until thoroughly mixed, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the dry ingredients and carrots. Add self-raising flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix into the batter with a wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in the finely grated carrots.
• Bake the carrot cake. Pour into the prepared baking tin, and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely (about an hour) before icing.
• Make the cream cheese frosting. While the cake cools, place butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes. Alternatively use as hand held electric mixer. Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar. Begin mixing on low, gradually increasing the speed as the sugar is incorporated. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Place frosting in the fridge until ready to use.
• Frost the cake. When the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting in an even layer on top of the cake. Lightly dust with ground cinnamon for garnish, if desired. Slice and serve!

Notes

• Flour Measurement: This recipe was developed using Australian standard cups (1 cup = 150g), so 300g equals exactly 2 cups. If you are in the US (where 1 cup = 120g), you will need 2.5 cups of flour. For the best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the 300g!

• The Baking Tin: You absolutely must use a metal 9x13 baking tin for this recipe. Glass acts as an insulator, meaning the edges of this moisture-heavy cake will overbake and dry out long before the centre cooks.

• Storage: Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Unfrosted cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge before frosting.

• Double layer cake: Divide batter between two greased 9-inch metal pans. Bake at 175°C / 350°F convection or 160°C / 325ºF fan forced for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

• Cupcakes: Fill lined muffin tins approximately ⅔ full. Bake at 175°C / 350°F convection or 160°C / 325ºF fan forced for 15-18 minutes. Makes about 24. Frost when completely cooled.

Keyword Carrot Sheet Cake

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